SB 181 - Information
Last Updated: June 26, 2025
Senate Bill 181
Senate Bill 181 (SB 181), passed during the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly, requires school boards to adopt a traceable communication system that “shall be the exclusive means for school district employees and volunteers to communicate electronically with students.”
The spirit of the bill is one we can all agree on: protecting students, encouraging more parental involvement and safeguarding school communications. After receiving bipartisan support and unanimous approval in the legislature, as well as the signature of the governor, districts are now tasked with overseeing broad new restrictions on employee and volunteer communications with students.
FAQ's:
When will Senate Bill (SB 181) go into effect? All (non-emergency) legislation passed during the 2025 Regular legislative session, including SB 181, will go into effect on June 27. Local school boards must adopt/approve their local policies each year by the statutory deadline of Aug. 15. (KRS 160.340).
What is a ‘traceable communication system’? According to KRS 160.145, a traceable communication system is one (1) or more electronic school notification and communication programs or applications that: A) Are designated by a local board of education B) Trace all communications sent to or by a student; and
C) Provide parents an opportunity to access and review those communications.
What programs/platforms are approved by the FIS Board of Education for electronic communication between district employees/volunteers and students? The FIS Board of Education has approved the following programs/platforms for electronic communication between district employees/volunteers and students:
● Parent Square
● Infinite Campus (Student Information System)
● Google Workspace for Education (includes Gmail and Google Classroom) for the frankfort.kyschools.us & stu.frankfort.kyschools.us domains ONLY
● Canvas LMS via Gradient Learning
Is there a waiver that can allow district employees/volunteers to use platforms other than the approved platforms? We encourage the use of the approved traceable communications platforms in our district. However, there is a waiver available for teachers, other school employees, coaches, sponsors, and school volunteers to utilize.
Can a district employee/volunteer, coach, sponsor, etc., require parents/guardians to complete the waiver for their class, team, organization, etc.? No, parents and guardians may not be required to complete the waiver.
Does the waiver provide blanket permission for all district employees/volunteers, coaches, sponsors, etc., to contact a student outside of the approved platforms? No. Each student must have an individual waiver for each adult who is communicating with them outside of the board-approved platforms.
Where can the waiver be found? The waiver can be downloaded here.
I’ve completed the waiver. Where do I turn it in? All waivers will be kept in the front office of the student’s school.
Can the waiver be revoked? Yes, a waiver can be revoked by the parent/guardian at any time through written communication to their student’s school. A parent/guardian can do this by emailing the principal of the student’s school.
What family members are already approved by the statute? KRS 160.145 clearly defines a family member as a parent/guardian, brother, sister, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, or grandparent.
Does SB 181 apply to adult-to-adult communication? No. This law is only applicable to student-to-adult communication.
SB 181 Resources:
Changes:
Changes to FIS policies may occur. Any changes to our policies are effective when they are posted on this website.
All stakeholders are advised to review this notice periodically for any changes.
Contact Us:
If you have any questions around our our policies, you may contact us via:
Email: info@frankfort.kyschools.us
Phone: (502) 875-8661
Mail: 212 Steele Street, Frankfort, KY 40601
Website: https://www.frankfort.kyschools.us/